Chapter 23 : Give and Take (1)

After confirming Lisil had left using magic, I rummaged through my pocket and pulled something out. It was a magic stone, the size of my palm. Considering that ordinary magic stones were about the size of a fingernail, this was absurdly large. But it made sense; it was Ilerios’s magic stone.

“Ilerios…”

Lilia had collected Ilerios’s entire corpse from the dungeon. On Sunday evening, with nothing else to do, she went out to the yard and began to process it. Even though no one lived near my house and the area outside was like a dense forest, she quickly finished the task to prevent the smell of blood from spreading.

Within an hour, Lilia had separated the hide, meat, and bones. She came back inside with a refreshed expression and tossed Ilerios’s magic stone to me.

—Here you go. You said you needed a magic stone to use a monster’s abilities, right?

—Th-Thanks… But did you really have to butcher it at this hour?

—I had to do it today so I can go to the underworld tomorrow while you’re at work and commission something.

—Commission something in the underworld? Is there a blacksmith there who can handle the byproducts of a 7th-rank monster?

—You wouldn’t know, but do you have any idea how many skilled artisans ended up in the underworld after being falsely accused by nobles? The person who made my magic sword is there now.

If the artisan had crafted a Sword Master’s blade, their skill was undeniable. But the underworld itself was hard to trust. It wasn’t called the underworld for nothing. All sorts of illegal and dark dealings in the Empire happened there.

Seeing my doubtful expression, Lilia added, understandingly.

—I know what you’re worried about. You suspect the blacksmith might run off with the goods, right?

—Honestly… it’d be a lie to say that thought didn’t cross my mind.

—Theft is practically a daily occurrence in the underworld. But you don’t need to worry.

Shing!

Lilia raised the magic sword she had used to butcher Ilerios.

—If they try to run off with the down payment and the byproducts, I’ll just cut off their legs!

—…Ah.

Seeing Lilia speak such terrifying words so casually reminded me of something I had buried deep in my memory. The Lilia from a world where she hadn’t met me. The one who hadn’t gotten pregnant, who had honed her skills wandering the underworld.

The Sword Demon, Lilia Von Asmodeus.

She had ruled the underworld like her own personal playground, becoming its tyrant and matriarch.

Why was it?

The Lilia I saw now, as cold as ice, a Lilia I’d only seen in the game, seemed to overlap with her.

—Oh my, you? Why is your face so pale? Are you catching a cold? Should I get you some medicine?

It was a night where I felt I should treat her even better.

Anyway, Lilia had readily given me Ilerios’s magic stone. With a magic stone of this caliber, she could have had another treasured sword made, comparable to her own magic sword.

‘She gave it to me to absorb into the rune.’

But holding it in my hand, I felt a bit hesitant.

The most important thing about runes was the combination. Even feeding it magic stones from relatively low-rank monsters of the 3rd or 4th rank could create a synergy that surpassed two 7th-rank magic stones.

‘I’m a Flame Mage.’

Therefore, feeding the rune magic stones from fire-attribute monsters was the correct answer. The problem was, Ilerios was a lightning-attribute monster.

If this were a game, I would have tearfully put Ilerios’s magic stone aside and used it to make a sword or something.

‘But it’s such a waste.’

It was true that a lower-rank magic stone could yield higher potential depending on the combination, but Ilerios was strong even without that. Of course, if I found magic stones that suited me better later on, I might want to remove it from the rune, but acquiring magic stones was no easy task.

‘To get magic stones, I have to hunt monsters.’

There were three main ways to hunt monsters in the Empire.

First, go to the ‘borderlands,’ where all the monsters in the Empire had been driven. However, only soldiers could enter the borderlands, so I would have to enlist. Naturally, I wouldn’t even consider this option.

‘The second method is somewhat plausible.’

That was to wait for the ‘Monster Hunt,’ one of the academy’s exams. The academy raised monsters on an artificial island to hone the students’ practical skills. The problem with this method was that professors had to monitor the students from the rear and be on standby for emergencies. As a substitute professor, I wouldn’t have time to hunt monsters.

Finally, the third method, which Lilia and I had done over the weekend.

‘Go into a dungeon and hunt monsters.’

But the problem with this method was that there weren’t many dungeons left in the Empire. Most were hidden in places unknown to historians and explorers, making this option practically meaningless as well.

“Honestly, buying magic stones with money is the most convenient option.”

The problem with this method was that I wouldn’t know when the magic stones I wanted would appear on the market.

Hmm… Lost in thought, I fiddled with Ilerios’s magic stone. The deeper I thought, the more the magic stone seemed to mold to my hand.

“…Alright.”

I made my decision.

6 p.m., when all classes ended.

Students poured out of the academy from all directions. Some went to eat dinner with friends, while others rushed to their dormitories, burdened with homework.

And there were still quite a few classrooms where lectures hadn’t ended. Hildegard’s classroom, the professor of the Practical Studies Department, was one of them.

“Alright! That’s all for today’s lecture. Tomorrow, I’ll teach you how to move your arms more efficiently when swinging a sword, so everyone come to the training ground! Got it?!”

—Yes, Professor!

The students responded to Hildegard’s words with energetic voices. It might have seemed a bit loud, but to Hildegard, it was rather quiet.

“Is that all the voice aspiring knights have?! Louder!”

—YES!!! PROFESSOR!!!

Hildegard was only satisfied when their voices echoed throughout the academy. She dismissed the students, telling them she’d see them tomorrow.

After the last student left, Hildegard, holding her documents and lecture notes, was about to leave through the front door when…

“Hmm? You’re… not a student.”

Someone was standing outside the front door. Hildegard thought it might be a student from her lecture with a question, but when she opened the door, a man much taller than her blocked her way.

A massive physique and solid muscles, rare even among knights. But surprisingly, the man was wearing a suit and a robe. A professor’s robe. Only mages wore such things over their suits.

Hildegard looked up at the man, trying to recall who he was.

“You are…”
“We’ve met a few times at faculty meetings with Professor Olivier, but this is the first time we’re greeting each other separately. I am Ziek, the substitute professor of the Mana Studies Department.”
“The substitute professor of Mana Studies… Ah! You’re Olivier-unni’s successor! Nice to meet you!”

Hildegard greeted Ziek warmly, shaking both his hands. In contrast, Ziek bowed his head dryly, showing his respect.

Hildegard observed him closely and thought, Why did this man named Ziek come all the way to my classroom and wait for me?

The answer came quickly.

“You. You have something you want to say to me, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Hmm… I don’t know what you want to talk about, but it’s almost time to lock the classroom, so it would be better to talk somewhere else. Is it alright if we move?”
“Of course.”
“Great! Then let’s go to a special place only I know.”

Hildegard and Ziek headed towards the mountain behind the academy. The academy grounds were so vast that there was more than one mountain behind it, but the one Hildegard started climbing had a particularly steep slope.

“…”

Ziek kept pace with Hildegard without falling behind. When they reached the mountainside, a small cabin-like structure came into view.

“What do you think? Looks cozy, right? This is my hideout and training ground.”
“…Did the board give you permission to build a cabin on the mountain?”
“Nope? Never got permission for that.”
“…”
“Hey, it’s fine! Even if they find out, the board won’t say anything. They’ll probably ask if I need anything else besides the cabin.”

Hildegard spoke playfully, but she was right. Even if she built a mansion on the mountainside instead of a cabin, the board would likely ask, ‘Should we build another mansion next to it?’

Because Hildegard was, so to speak, the academy’s star instructor. She had become a professor in the Practical Studies Department in her twenties, not a substitute professor like Ziek. And Practical Studies was the undisputed number one department in the Knight Department.

True to its name, an abbreviation of Practical Martial Arts Department, Hildegard was famous for teaching students practical skills and tips useful in real combat.

What she wanted to say to him was obvious.

“If it’s a confession, I’m going to refuse. I’ve dedicated my life to the sword—”
“Professor! Please teach me the sword!”
“…Huh?”
“…Excuse me?”

Hildegard’s and Ziek’s eyes widened simultaneously. They both looked at each other as if wondering what the other was talking about.

Hildegard was the first to break the confused silence.

“W-Weren’t you waiting until after my lecture to confess to me?”
“…Why would I confess to you, Professor?”
“Huh? Well, for the past three years, all the men have had similar patterns. Students and assistants, they all waited for me in front of the classroom and then confessed.”

Of course, Hildegard had rejected all the confessions she had received so far. Then, if someone passed by in the hallway, that person would spread rumors. That someone had confessed to Professor Hildegard and been rejected.

One day, while walking down the hallway, she had run into someone who had confessed to her from afar. They seemed quite distressed from being rejected in front of the classroom. So, after that, Hildegard would take them to her cabin to reject them politely. There were definitely no people around here, so there would be no rumors.

That’s why Hildegard had brought Ziek here.

Ziek, hearing her words, scrunched up his face as if he had heard something utterly absurd.

“I just came here because I wanted to learn from you, Professor.”
“Is that really true? You didn’t come here to confess, then realize the atmosphere was off, and decide to start as friends by asking for lessons? That’s not it, right?”
“…I have a lover.”
“Then you genuinely want to learn the sword from me? Not just anyone, but Olivier-unni’s assistant professor? Really?!”

This time, Hildegard was surprised for a different reason. Many students and swordsmen had sought her personal instruction before, but this was the first time a mage had asked her for lessons.