Chapter 114. Shut Up—Shut Up, I Said
A material exchange that connected heart to heart.
By receiving a small(?) token of sincerity from Headmaster sunbae, I was able to confirm that heart.
Of course, it wasn’t a smooth process.
“Two years.”
“…Half a year.”
“Two years.”
“…Hoo. Half a year is the maximum I can manage. Let’s come to an agreement here.”
“Two years.”
A tight negotiation with not an inch of retreat. Headmaster sunbae finally snapped with a pop.
“Th-this… two years won’t work! You want to go in and out of the upper levels of the Lafiter Library like it’s your own home for two whole years? Does that make any sense?!”
Yeah. I get it.
The upper levels of the Lafiter Library.
Not the middle and lower levels—the upper levels—and I’m saying I want access for two years. Of course that would feel like a burden. For an Academy student, it was unprecedented.
But.
“Then does it make sense that sunbae gave me a one-time entry ticket?”
“…….”
“I mean, I doubted my eyes, you know. One time? One time? Am I going sightseeing? You’re going to try to make it look like a big favor with just one visit?”
A while back, on the way back to Hazen, the “entry ticket” suddenly came to mind, so I took it out.
And then—what the hell?
Lafiter upper-level entry pass
— 1 time
In tiny, tiny letters: “1 time.”
I couldn’t believe it.
What am I supposed to look at with one visit?
It’d take a whole day just to skim book titles. And it’s not like you can take books in and out.
This wasn’t telling me to examine books, or what.
“Th-that’s… you little punk! Was that the only thing you took from me? You tore out more than that! Elixirs, and what was it! Even Irekaine Workshop production rights! Didn’t you tear out two of those too?!”
“Ah, so now the one-time pass makes sense to you?”
“…….”
“Seriously. I should’ve just died in the great forest—my heart would’ve been at peace. Did I claw my way back alive just to get treated like this?”
His fists trembled violently. Killing intent surged up and swelled in both his eyes. Normally, I would’ve stopped at around here.
If I provoked him more, the fists closer than the law—I’d get to taste overwhelming violence.
But today was different.
Because the justification was on my side.
“Oh, and you know this, right? I couldn’t even take the person-to-person combat exam.”
“…….”
“Let’s see… did the person-to-person combat exam end a week ago? I mean, I came as fast as I could, but… in the end, I was late.”
“Then I’ll arrange a make-up exam—”
“Ah, forget it. Forget it. It’s my fault for coming back alive without reading the room. My fault. A fault. I should’ve just dropped dead in the great forest. Right?”
“…….”
“Wow. Someone’s core aches whenever it rains because of aftereffects, and someone else is living all luxuriously at the Academy.”
Of course, he probably wasn’t living luxuriously.
While Breakfast No. 1 had gotten all plump and fat, Headmaster sunbae had grown gaunt.
He’d probably suffered a lot in his own way.
But I pointed at the hideout’s scenery and kept pushing.
“Someone’s getting blasted by cold wind, huh? Forbidden mages, Destrow, curses, all sorts of crap. And someone else is sitting warm on a soft sofa, even sipping tea—slurp, slurp. Kya. I’m jealous. Huh? I’m so jealous, you know.”
But that’s how emotions are.
Even if you start talking without much thought, once the dam breaks and you start spitting it out, your feelings rise.
Like right now.
“They say there’s no order to who goes first, but I really almost went first, you know? Yeah?”
“…….”
“If I died, what good would Irekaine Workshop be? Ah! Is that what this is? Funeral money for the road? I didn’t know that one. What—do you want me to return it? Yeah?”
“…….”
It’s fun. It’s exciting. Making someone furious isn’t exactly enjoyable, but testing the limit is always new.
Headmaster sunbae was clenching his fists so hard that the trembling traveled up his whole arm and made even his body shake.
One more word and he’ll blow? Oh? This is still okay. Then just one more word?
A precarious tightrope walk.
Of course, if it were just me alone, I wouldn’t even dare.
In that sense, Shine was an excellent attacker. No—an excellent aggro-monger.
It started timidly.
“Hmhm. I, you know, I died once.”
But after adding one line, then backing it up with two more, she quickly blasted through the roof and ascended.
Not just crossing the line—she started ripping the line apart with sneers.
“Still—what was it. Riheim, was it? That fellow at least had some decent promise, you know.”
Not only comparing him to Riheim sunbae—
“They say youngsters these days have no shame, and you’re exactly that. How is it you’re this uncivilized to the benefactor who saved your friend?”
She dragged up the past again. And was that all? She even cursed master and disciple together!
“Like master, like disciple. A goblin under a goblin. Isn’t that right, crafty bastard? You agree, don’t you?”
“…….”
From here on, I didn’t agree.
I didn’t nod; I stared at the distance like it was a story from another world.
Of course, there was no mountain to see. This was a hideout—outside the window was only thick shrubbery.
“This is—honestly. I wonder if I saved that old scholar-type just for this. Ah, if you think about it, I’m the Grand Duchess’s benefactor who saved her life, you know. Isn’t that so?”
Shut up. Shut up, I said.
They say if you just know when to jump in and when to pull out, you’re already halfway there—but Shine looked like she was about to get split in half.
And yet, at the same time, I had this thought.
Is it just basic human curiosity?
Former Master Knight vs. Great Mage (presumably)
A thrilling, blood-pumping showdown between a Master Knight who’s lost her power and the great-mage-presumed Headmaster of the Academy!
Vampire and human! A one-round match with racial pride on the line!
Thinking about it like that, it felt strangely moving.
When did a Troubleshooter who used to wipe other people’s shit in the shadows start playing in waters this big?
Creak, groan.
Oh—does he explode?
A vein bulged up on Headmaster sunbae’s forehead.
Shoulders trembling like an aspen. Face reddened like a well-cooked octopus.
Countdown—three, two, one… BANG! It was right then that Headmaster sunbae slammed the table and sprang up.
“I let it go and let it go, and now you’ve got nothing you can’t say!”
“Oh, yeah? Then let’s go. Let’s go! I was curious too! Draw your sword!”
Petty to the end—telling a mage to draw a sword.
But that way is fun.
If Headmaster sunbae uses magic, Shine as she is now won’t last long before she gets knocked flat.
Originally, the most fun fights are the muddy ones.
“Then I’ll set the rules. Headmaster sunbae—how about a fistfight, for a fair duel?”
“…….”
“…….”
What? Why.
Two pairs of eyes were fixed on me. Lips parted slightly, as if they couldn’t believe it. While Headmaster sunbae stared at me like, What the hell kind of bastard is this, Shine let out a “Hah.”
“…Agreed?”
No answer.
Not agreeing?
If it were me, since the stage was already set, I’d want to trade blows until I’d had my fill.
Isn’t there a saying—people grow by fighting? Of course, both of them reeked of “old” so hard it was ridiculous to talk about growing, but a person should grow until the day they die.
“Aren’t you going to fight?”
The two exchanged looks. The one who offered his hand first was Headmaster sunbae.
“Hey—Shine, was it?”
“…That’s right, but.”
“It doesn’t seem like now is the time for us to fight each other. What do you think?”
“…I agree. I lost my reason for a moment. Forgive what I said earlier. It won’t be easy, but still.”
“Easy or not—wasn’t it a trivial quarrel? It’s right to shake it off.”
“Mm. Unlike ‘someone,’ you have a broad heart.”
“I don’t know who you’re comparing me to, but for some reason that feels unpleasant. Apologize.”
“My apologies. It seems I compared you to something I should not have compared you to. I’m sorry a hundred times over.”
“Heh heh. What is it—doesn’t everyone make mistakes?”
A strange sense of kinship spread between the two. The atmosphere warmed up for no apparent reason.
“…? Headmaster sunbae. Didn’t you hear earlier? That one’s a traitor and a vampire—”
“Well, anyone can have delusions, right? Isn’t that so, Shine?”
“That’s right. Mm. My delusions are a bit severe.”
This bastard?
Just a moment ago she was all excited and yapping, and now she’s matching beats with him.
I stared at the two, then spoke again.
“…Two years.”
“Tsk.”
“You should understand. Do you avoid shit because you’re scared? You avoid it because it’s dirty. That one there—once he bites down, he won’t let go. It’s cleaner to just answer him appropriately and end it.”
What, you little—?
“Hm. That’s true. Fine—then I’ll start by cutting you a half-year. If that’s still not enough, we’ll talk again then.”
“…….”
You should’ve been like this from the start.
The Lafiter Library’s scale is the greatest on the eastern continent.
Of course, the upper levels are smaller than the middle and lower levels—but they were absolutely not a scale you could look over in just a few days.
‘Well… whether I’d even use the full two years is questionable, but….’
Still, you never know.
Anyway, I got what I wanted. I got it, but… why is this heart of mine oddly bitter?
“Shall we have a cup of tea? They say something good came in this time.”
“Mm, I don’t particularly enjoy tea, but it does seem rather pleasant.”
The two laughed cheerfully like they’d met an old friend.
It was absolute bullshit.
In the end, the Lafiter usage period was set as a temporary half-year.
Well, it’s shorter than two years, but for now, this is something to see after I’ve looked around the upper levels.
But maybe sunbae was in a good mood—on the spot, he handled Raileigh’s job, and Shine’s influence went into this part quite a lot.
“That fellow talks too much.”
“Hm. Then he’s a bit unsuitable as a guard.”
“Right. Otherwise, why would he be a famous blabbermouth that even people in the Hamelin Great Forest don’t not know? But he finds routes unbelievably well, you know?”
“Hoh. Is that so?”
“He’s irritatingly smug, like ‘someone,’ and he’s a weakling. But if he’s still alive, doesn’t that say it all?”
“So his ability must be very good.”
And so, Raileigh’s decided job:
Zenion Academy Tour Guide
“Do you need a job as well? If you want, I could give you a post.”
“Me? I don’t even know how long I’ll be around, you know. I’ve got various things to do.”
“From the look of it, you can use a sword… how about a temporary instructor post? Not faculty—just supervise a training ground or something.”
“Hm. I don’t have talent for teaching little blood-clots.”
“Heh heh, it’s fine. Even if we call it a temporary instructor, there won’t be any students asking for instruction. More like a training ground caretaker?”
“Then it’s not bad, but….”
“Then I’ll prepare a suitable identity for you. When you quit, you can quit comfortably.”
Going one step further—he even got her a job.
Shine pulled it off through connections I’d never used even once—connections that belonged to neither bloodline, region, nor school ties.
Dirty prestigious houses (名家). Dirty vested interests.
The world is a madhouse. A vampire taking an instructor post at the Academy?
Well, “instructor” is just a title and it’s really only a training ground caretaker role, but it’s still shocking.
Anyway, after finishing her talk with the Headmaster, Shine left the hideout looking satisfied.
Of course, Raileigh wailed.
“Ah, aah…….”
Second shock. The look in Raileigh’s eyes like he’d lost the world. The one thread of hope he’d been clinging to since the “Semi-Royal Ticket” snapped with a tuk.
“Mwahaha! This body has specially arranged this position for you!”
“…Hang in there.”
“You f**king bastards……. You’re all the same.”
Cursing me and Shine together, Raileigh stumbled down and emptied a drink.
And then, before we knew it, evening arrived.
I took out the uniform I’d been carefully storing in Subspace.
“Is it finally tomorrow.”
It had truly been a journey full of twists and turns.
