NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 37
The Duel Event had concluded. The result wasn’t much different from what I had anticipated.
The only notable difference was the number of people who challenged Luna to a duel. Apparently, many stepped up after witnessing her overwhelming defeat against Kara.
Of course, she defeated them all. Kara was just too strong; it wasn’t that Luna was weak by any means. Thanks to that, it was a relatively easy duel for Luna.
“So, what happens to the points now? I don’t care about points, but you do, don’t you?”
“I think you’ll probably rank higher than me, Sister. A loss like that carries a lot of weight.”
After all the duels ended, we were given some free time. Though it was only for a single day.
Well, the next day was the weekend anyway, so it felt like we had a longer break. That’s when I met with Kara.
As you know, it was to take Kara to Rod and get his approval. From now on, Kara would also take on the responsibility of being my guardian.
Not that the responsibility was anything major—just refraining from using violence recklessly. Even if she did resort to violence, it would be directed at those worse than beasts.
“Oh, and you should bring some candy with you.”
“Candy? Don’t tell me you mean that Nurungji-Flavored Candy Sivar gave you back then?”
Kara, with an amused expression, commented on the Nurungji-Flavored Candy, which had left quite an impression on her. It’s definitely a flavor that divides opinions.
“No, you don’t have to go out of your way to get something like that. I’ll eat anything sweet.”
“Really? Got it. I thought you liked that candy.”
“I do. Ah.”
I replied that I liked it. I’ve eaten so much of it that my taste buds have grown accustomed to it.
Kara looked at me with a peculiar expression. Let me clarify again—it’s not that I dislike Nurungji-Flavored Candy.
“······Let’s just say you like sweet things. You eat at the buffet every day, right? I noticed you eat a lot.”
“Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to manage the food expenses.”
“I’ll treat you to something nice occasionally. I’ll take responsibility for it.”
“Are you sure about the money?”
Luna asked, half surprised and half worried. Considering my appetite, her reaction was understandable.
Even on regular days, my appetite is enormous, and on days when I use mana, it increases exponentially.
Recently, I haven’t had much reason to use mana, so it’s been manageable, but it’s bound to increase gradually. And with it, so will the food expenses.
However, Kara waved her hand dismissively, flashing her characteristic bright smile as she replied.
“Don’t worry. I may not look like it, but I’m a princess. I have plenty of money.”
“How much money are we talking about?”
“Let’s just say it’s so much that it’s practically rotting away. Our country earns quite a bit of money.”
As I’ve explained before, the Tatar Region developed its trade business by leveraging its geographical advantages. It’s situated between the Matra Empire and the Granada Empire.
Originally, the shortest route required passing through the Tatar Region, which often led to plundering by the Tatar Tribe.
After establishing a nation, they cleverly turned this to their advantage, developing it into a trade business.
Moreover, with the Tatar Tribe personally escorting the goods, the trade business naturally flourished.
“So, don’t worry about money. If you need it, I can lend you some once or twice.”
“Sister······”
“But you’ll have to pay it back.”
“Huh?”
Luna, touched for a moment, showed a unique reaction when she heard she’d have to repay it. Her pretty face twisted adorably.
Kara, seemingly expecting this, chuckled and explained clearly.
“I’m sorry, but both I and the Tatar Tribe are meticulous when it comes to money. Of all things, trust is easiest to lose when it comes to money.”
“So, what happens if someone borrows money and doesn’t repay it?”
“I just consider it a donation and move on. But that person loses my trust forever.”
This happens even in the Soul World. Borrowing money from Kara and not repaying it causes her affinity to plummet like a rollercoaster.
It’s one of the reasons Kara is far from being a benefactor like Elvin. When it comes to money, she’s meticulous.
“Sivar.”
“Yes?”
While I was lost in thought, Kara called out to me. I looked at her curiously.
“You don’t know what money is, do you?”
“Money?”
“Yes, this.”
Kara then showed me something. She held a round object between her index finger and thumb.
It was a silver-colored item, with numbers and a figure engraved in the center.
It was one of the currencies used globally within the Soul World.
‘Come to think of it, I should start saving money too.’
Having never lived a life where I had to spend money, I had completely forgotten about it.
Since others always paid for me, I had lost all sense of financial awareness.
“Judging by your expression, you don’t know what it is. Just know that saving these will make things easier for you later. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“I heard you can earn money through hunting or herb gathering, right?”
Kara directed her question to Luna. Luna nodded in response.
“Yes. I usually go into the forest to gather herbs on weekends. That’s when I happened to meet Sivar.”
“With Sivar’s skills, wouldn’t he be able to find plenty of good prey?”
“Hmm······”
Perhaps because it made sense, Luna’s gaze shifted to me. She seemed to be pondering it.
Even the Manki I had to deal with to save Ellie was known to fetch a high price.
“I’ll think about it slowly. Sivar still doesn’t understand what money is.”
“Until then, I’ll help out to some extent. Later, you can pay me back with your efforts.”
That’s a statement ripe for misunderstanding. She probably meant hunting would suffice, but the nuance was questionable.
Luna, sensing something odd, paused mid-nod and looked at Kara with a startled “Eh?”
“······Sister?”
“What?”
“What you just said······ was a bit······”
“What did I say······”
Kara, as if wondering if she had made a mistake, froze. It seemed she had just realized it.
Her face gradually turned red, and she glanced at me. I simply stared blankly.
In times like this, it’s best to feign ignorance. She’d probably think I genuinely didn’t understand.
Still, the embarrassment was evident as Kara coughed awkwardly and quietly clarified.
“······That’s not what I meant, so don’t get any weird ideas. Got it?”
“Sivar probably doesn’t even know what that means.”
“Then why did you say something like that! You’re making it awkward!”
“There’s someone listening, you know.”
“Who?!”
“Me.”
Luna’s unabashed response left Kara speechless. That side of her is truly unique.
Kara opened and closed her mouth like a fish before letting out a defeated laugh. It was her way of admitting she’d lost.
“Fine. Talking about it is just a waste of breath. By the way, where does Sivar stay?”
“We’re almost there. It’s over there.”
With a timely change of subject, we arrived at the residence. It was no longer the principal’s office but my current living quarters.
Although the principal’s office is in the main building, Rod also works here. However, since I attend classes, we rarely cross paths.
“The chancellor stays here too, right?”
“Yes. As far as I know, he handles lodging and meals here as well.”
Knock, knock, knock-
Luna lightly knocked on the door. Soon, the sound of someone approaching could be heard from inside.
Creak-
“Ah, you’ve arrived?”
“Yes. Is there anyone else inside?”
“No. Ellie is currently in class.”
Rod himself opened the door to greet us. Since he doesn’t have a secretary, he personally attends to visitors.
Kara seemed surprised that he came out himself.
“So, you’re the Princess of Tatar. Your name is······”
“Just call me Kara.”
“Understood. Kara, please come inside.”
Rod swung the door wide open and ushered us in. As soon as we entered, a distinct aroma filled the air.
Since two men live here, they usually burn incense to mask the smell of bachelorhood.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll just say what I need to and leave.”
Kara declined Rod’s offer, waving both hands. She seemed to think accepting would be impolite.
Rod didn’t insist further but instead prepared tea and a light snack set.
Considering he’s the Headmaster, and even a Sword Saint at that, Kara couldn’t help but feel a bit self-conscious.
Eventually, unable to ignore the awkwardness, she tried to help, but Rod raised a hand to stop her.
“This is the house where Sivar and I live. As the host, it’s only natural for me to welcome my guests.”
“Still······”
“Doesn’t Tatar have a culture of hospitality? So just sit quietly.”
Rod spoke with a smile, leaving Kara no choice but to sit down without further protest.
It’s amusing how she had confidently declared herself my Guardian, yet now she’s as meek as a lamb in front of Rod.
“So, you want to become Sivar’s Guardian?”
After finishing all the preparations, Rod sat down and opened the conversation.
Kara, who had been nibbling on a biscuit, hurriedly stuffed it into her mouth at the question.
“Gulp! Yes. As you’ve heard, I also want to become Sivar’s Guardian.”
“I’ve heard that you’ve been helping with Sivar’s training. Do you intend to continue overseeing his training as his Guardian?”
“That’s correct.”
“May I ask why you’re helping him?”
As if she had anticipated the question, Kara responded in a steady tone, almost as if she were in an interview.
“At first, it was just out of curiosity. I didn’t care whether it worked out or not. But after sparring with him, my perspective changed.”
“How did it change?”
“I realized it would be a waste to use that power recklessly.”
“··· ···”
It’s a very Tatar-like answer. Normally, one would say, ‘That power is too dangerous, so I’ll teach him restraint.’
But Kara took the exact opposite approach. Rod, seemingly having anticipated this, didn’t appear surprised.
“It’s too inefficient. Relying solely on a sturdy body to charge forward is fine, but doing so will lead to trouble later. He also needs to learn how to ‘subdue’ opponents.”
“You mean you’ll teach him how to control his power to avoid accidentally killing someone?”
“That’s roughly accurate.”
“You’re not saying he shouldn’t use his strength at all.”
Rod was right. Kara had said she would teach restraint, not forbid the use of strength entirely.
Consistent, yet aggressive. Kara seemed aware of this as she nodded.
“You know this too, Headmaster. It’s just a matter of degree; using strength is all the same.”
“I agree. But in Civilization, violence isn’t easily tolerated.”
“I understand what you’re saying. But I don’t resort to violence recklessly. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“That’s sufficient. It seems you’ve learned well from Hector.”
“··· ···”
At the mention of Hector, Kara flinched momentarily. But she didn’t deny it.
As Rod said, most of Kara’s philosophy was shaped by Hector’s teachings—advice about not using power carelessly.
It’s also the reason Kara dislikes Hector. She had learned from him, but he later imposed a change of heart on her.
“······At least on this, I agree.”
“Understood. Then······”
Thud, thud, thud—
Before Rod could finish his sentence, someone knocked on the door. It was a rather rough knock.
If it were Professor Ellie, she would’ve knocked lightly. But this was blatantly forceful.
“I’ll get it.”
“······Go ahead.”
Luna stood up and headed toward the door. Rod gave his approval in a low voice.
It seemed he already knew who had come. Being a Sword Saint, he could probably identify someone just by their presence.
I was no different. While I couldn’t pinpoint exactly who it was, I could sense one thing.
They were ridiculously huge.
Creak—
“Who······ Gasp?!”
Luna started to speak but froze in shock. She stumbled backward, clearly startled.
And for good reason—the person at the door was absurdly massive. They were at least two heads taller than an average adult male.
The visitor looked at Luna with a puzzled expression before glancing at the people behind her. Finally, they turned to us and spoke in a ‘polite’ tone.
“May I intrude for a moment?”
“As long as you don’t break anything.”
“That might be difficult.”
Kara’s biological father and the King of the Tatars.
The Destroyer King Hector had unexpectedly arrived at the Principal’s Office.
“······Father? Why are you······?”
Kara muttered in a dazed voice, clearly bewildered by the completely unforeseen visitor.
Meanwhile, Hector ducked his head as he entered. His towering height made the doorframe seem small.
Hector began surveying the house Rod and I lived in. He seemed to find it acceptable, nodding in approval.
“Not bad. So, you live here with the old man and that kid?”
“For now, yes. Instead of standing there, why don’t you take a seat?”
“Then I won’t hold back.”
Thunk—
Hector took a seat at Rod’s invitation. The spot he chose was next to Kara.
And directly across from me. Naturally, our gazes met.
His eyes were still full of curiosity as they looked at me. But today, something was different.
It felt like he was openly provoking me with his gaze.
“Why don’t you put down that axe on your back? Someone might think you’re here to fight.”
“Cut me some slack. I’ll be heading back to Tatar soon anyway.”
“That’s a weapon that always finds its way back, even if dropped into the sea.”
“It gets boring without it.”
Hector’s sudden appearance had made the atmosphere a bit tense, but surprisingly, things smoothed out.
Luna, who had been hesitating near the door, cautiously pulled up a chair and sat beside me.
“······So, why are you here?”
While Hector and Rod were chatting, Kara finally spoke up. She seemed displeased with the current situation.
Understandable, given that Hector had barged in unannounced. But Hector had his reasons.
“Just so you know, I didn’t come here for you. I’m here for him. I have something to confirm.”
“What about Sivar?”
“It’s about the power he holds, and more importantly, his Red Eyes—they bother me.”
Red Eyes. Instinctively, I touched my own eyes.
Those vividly glowing crimson pupils. They were a symbol of ‘Berserk,’ something typically associated with Monsters.
The condition for Berserk to activate is being in a near-death state. In the past, I was constantly on the brink of death, so it activated frequently.
Now, thanks to gaining Tenacity, it’s under control, but it’s still dangerous. It even activated during the fierce battle with Porori.
“Since you can understand human speech, I’ll ask you directly. You’re called Sivar, right?”
“··· ···”
“Are you a Beast pretending to be human, or a human wielding the power of a Beast?”
A deeply serious question. One that cuts straight to the core of what I am.
To be honest, I can’t answer that question. My Wild Instinct makes me act like a Beast.
On top of that, my drastically diminished Faith leaves me barely able to articulate words. I’m essentially a Beast in human form.
“If it had been anyone else getting close to my daughter, I wouldn’t have said a word. But······ you’re too dangerous.”
“Dan. Ger?”
“Yes. Danger. If those Red Eyes of yours are real, you’ll never be able to integrate into Civilization. In moments of crisis, you’ll lose your Reason and become a Beast. Every single time.”
“··· ···”
That’s accurate. Porori once said something similar.
If I don’t do something about these Red Eyes, there will undoubtedly be a major problem.
Language or not, the reason a Beast is a Beast is because its Instinct overpowers its Reason. As long as Berserk exists, Instinct will inevitably surface.
“You keep going on and on······ What’s with suddenly showing up and saying all this? What’s so bad about having Red Eyes?”
Kara spoke in a voice that conveyed her confusion. However, Hector didn’t even glance at her.
He only stared intently at me. Even as I met his gaze, I couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
‘Was this how the event was supposed to go?’
In the Duel Event, there’s an event where you meet Hector after defeating Kara.
Whether you’re at the dormitory, a café, or a restaurant, he suddenly appears out of nowhere to have a conversation.
It’s mostly about asking you to get along with his daughter, but not too closely—typical conversations with a father who has a daughter.
“Old man.”
“Speak.”
“Is there a place nearby where I can break things freely? I heard there’s a forest around here.”
When I stayed silent, Hector directed his question to Rod.
Rod frowned slightly at the question but responded in a firm tone.
“Absolutely not. This is the Academy. If you cause any trouble, you won’t get away unscathed.”
“So you’re just going to leave things as they are? I’m just asking for confirmation. This kid could cause even bigger trouble than me later on.”
“Hmm······”
Perhaps finding the explanation reasonable, Rod turned his gaze to me. His eyes, deep in thought, resembled a tranquil lake.
Then, he looked back at Hector and calmly posed a question.
“If it’s confirmed, then what? What will you do after that? Are you planning to fix it?”
“No. As you know, I can’t afford to be away for long anymore.”
“Then it’s not······”
“Instead.”
Hector cut Rod off before he could finish saying it wasn’t possible, as if he had an alternative in mind.
Thud!
At that moment, Hector retrieved the weapon strapped to his back and placed it on the desk. Everyone’s eyes turned to the weapon on the desk.
Its overall appearance resembled an Axe. However, it was too large to be a one-handed axe and too small to be a Battle Axe.
If compared to something on Earth, it would be closer in size to a Fire Axe. Moreover, its design was unique.
One side was honed into a sharp blade, while the other was blunt like a Hammer.
As everyone’s attention focused on the axe, Hector spoke as if making a declaration.
“To prevent the Beastly side of this kid from emerging, I’ll lend them this.”
“······Are you out of your mind?”
“Crazy? Why would you······!”
Not only Rod but even Kara looked at Hector in shock. Only Luna, who didn’t understand anything, remained confused.
Although I managed to maintain a neutral expression, I was deeply surprised inside.
And for good reason—Hector’s weapon is one of the highest-ranked items in the Soul World.
‘Ragnarok.’
Hector’s beloved weapon and an item akin to a final trump card. However, it only exhibits its true power if Faith is consistently accumulated.
For me, it would merely be a sturdy axe. Whether it could withstand my Red Mana was uncertain.
Lending me such an axe was an extraordinary gesture. It felt almost excessive.
But Hector, seemingly of a different mindset, spoke with a solemn voice, full of resolve.
“For the sake of safety, I must do everything I can to prevent this kid from going on a rampage. This is the best I can do.”
“··· ···”
“I only need confirmation. If it turns out this kid is just an ordinary human, I’ll immediately kneel and apologize. Furthermore, I swear to Lord Gulak that I won’t interfere with you in any way.”
A vow to Gulak carries immense weight. If broken, Lightning would strike from the heavens.
This signified Hector’s sincerity. For Kara’s potential safety, he was willing to sacrifice his beloved weapon.
Even Rod, who usually had something to say about everything, seemed lost in thought when it came to Hector lending his weapon.
How much time had passed with Rod deep in thought? Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and quietly spoke.
“······There’s a forest in the 6 o’clock Direction from me. It’s about 300 meters away.”
“Can I break things freely there?”
“If possible, fight even farther away. Fragments might fly over.”
“Sounds good. What about you?”
In an unusually considerate manner, Hector asked for my opinion. It seemed that, unlike the event, this would lead to a sparring session.
Receiving his question, I shifted my gaze toward Kara. She, too, seemed greatly flustered, sensing Hector’s determination.
Luna was no different. Although she couldn’t follow the topic, her expression showed she understood the situation was becoming serious.
“Ev. Ery.”
With that, I called out to everyone. Their eyes all turned to me.
Then, to reassure them, I spoke in a short but resolute tone.
“It’s. Fine.”
“······Whoever taught you, they did a good job with manners.”
Hector chuckled at my response, then slowly stood up from his seat.
He picked up Ragnarok, which he had placed on the desk, and began walking away at a leisurely pace.
It seemed like I should follow him. Watching for the right moment, I rose from my seat.
Fixing my gaze on Hector’s broad back, I was about to take a step forward.
“Then without further delay······”
Hector tightened his grip on the axe.
“Let’s begin right away.”
He swung it upward with great force, using the blunt Hammer side instead of the blade.
“F*ck······”
F*ck. Wait a second.
Bang!
My body shot through the ceiling and soared into the sky.