Illusion Sword Master

＜ The Four Heavenly Kings of the Magic Academy (1) ﹥

“……Huh?”

When I opened my eyes, I saw a white ceiling. The spotless, pure white gave me an uneasy feeling.

“Ethan! You’re awake!”

A familiar face suddenly appeared in my field of vision.

I searched my memory and recalled his name.

“Roland… Sir?”

“That’s right. You’re awake? Thank goodness.”

He looked like he was on the verge of death, but fortunately, he was still alive. Or maybe I was the one who had died?

“Are we alive, or are we dead?”

“What are you talking about… Ah! Haha. You’re a funny friend. We’re both alive, thanks to you.”

“What about Marcellus, the Count?”

“When I opened my eyes, he was split in half. Beautifully, vertically.”

I felt like my brain was about to burst as I pulled out my magic, striking the Count with my sword. It seemed that one blow was effective.

I had defeated the dark wizard and survived.

I let out a sigh of relief.

“Where are we?”

“This is the Temple of the Imperial Capital. We brought you here immediately after you fell. Your condition was severe, and I was worried that you might not wake up. But you look fine now, so that’s a relief.”

“It’s good to see you’re healthy too, Roland Sir.”

“That’s right. A knight should be able to fight again the next day, even if their arm is broken. A month should be enough to recover.”

What? A month?

I hastily sat up.

“Owwww…”

Pain flooded in. My entire body ached as if my muscles were tearing apart.

“Take it easy. You’re still a patient. You’ll need to receive treatment for at least another month. That’s because your body is exceptionally well-trained for a wizard.”

Damn it.

A month had passed, and I would have to spend another month receiving treatment here.

That meant the second year of the Magic Academy would start soon.

My vacation. It was replaced with defeating the dark wizard and rehabilitation.

“That’s right. As long as I’m alive, that’s all that matters. My vacation can go to hell.”

I quickly gave up and started asking questions one by one.

“What happens next?”

“Thanks to you defeating Marcellus, the children were safely rescued. Right now, they’re investigating how he got involved with dark magic. And, well, this might be an unpleasant story for you to hear, but…”

Roland Sir’s expression turned awkward.

“It’s okay, just tell me.”

“The fact that Marcellus, the Earl, is a dark mage will not be made public. It’s better if you keep it a secret as well.”

It wasn’t something I did to gain fame.

The reward for risking my life is something that can be negotiated separately with Lord Roland and the person above him.

“Yes, I’ll do that. But I’m curious about the reason.”

“That’s right. It’s a confidential matter, but you have the right to know. Marcellus, the Earl, was close to the First Prince. Fortunately, the First Prince didn’t know about his true nature.”

It’s not like the First Prince’s incompetence, which couldn’t even manage his own nobles, was something to be grateful for. But it was better than accepting dark magic.

“The Third Prince has covered up the incident in exchange for some concessions from the First Prince. The chaos caused by the factional struggle will subside for the time being.”

Listening to the story, I could roughly guess the Third Prince’s actions, which were unknown to the public.

He seemed to be playing the role of a reliable younger brother, worrying about the empire’s stability amidst the power struggle between his brothers.

Roland must be one of his men.

“Is Lord Roland one of the Third Prince’s people?”

“That’s right. Officially, I’m a knight of the empire, but privately, I serve the Third Prince. I’ve been tracking down and eliminating dark mages on his orders.”

So, the Third Prince, who didn’t have as much power as his brothers, was still a direct descendant of the imperial family. It was enough to get me the reward I wanted. With no factional ties, I didn’t have to worry about being caught.

But… dark mages?

Thinking about it, Lord Roland seemed to know a lot about dark mages. He had probably dealt with them before.

In other words…

“Are there many dark mages? Is it a threat to the empire?”

“Yes. That’s something I can’t hide from you either. We’re secretly dealing with it to prevent chaos, but dark mages are rampant throughout the empire.”

The vast empire, torn apart by factions, with dark mages growing like a tumor within it.

Thinking about the dark shadow cast over the empire, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease.

“I’m sorry. I told you too much, considering you’re still recovering. Yes, aren’t you curious about what happened to the rescued children?”

Honestly, I wasn’t that curious.

Lord Roland would have taken care of it.

“Yes, that’s what I was most worried about. Are the children okay? Were they injured?”

“They’re all healthy. We fed them well and let them rest, and they recovered quickly. That’s also thanks to you. If Marcellus, the Earl, hadn’t been stopped, he would have handed them over to the demons.”

“It’s truly fortunate. It was worth risking my life.”

I emphasized the part about “risking my life.”

“They’re all orphans with exceptional magical talents. The Third Prince has decided to become their guardian. You should visit them sometime. Cherzia, in particular, wants to see you.”

The mention of Cherzia’s name pricked my conscience.

That girl knew I had tried to avoid getting involved and had seen me trying to escape. Maybe she even knew that I was actually a piece of trash.

“What did that girl say about me?”

“Thanks to Cherzia, I found out what happened while I was unconscious. You pretended to run away, distracting the Earl, and then struck at the right moment.”

Ah, it seems like she told a good story about me. Or maybe she just had a good impression of me. Either way, I’ll have to bring her some candy next time I visit.

“And the Third Prince wants to reward your efforts. Of course, I know you didn’t do it for the reward, but according to the empire’s laws, the guilty should be punished, and heroes should be rewarded.”

That’s right. The small talk was getting long.

This is the main point.

I cautiously replied, trying not to reveal my true intentions.

“Actually, I do have something I want.”

“What is it? The Third Prince said he would grant you anything within his power, so feel free to ask.”

“My wish is very humble. I want to live a happy life surrounded by grandchildren in a peaceful and warm region.”

Please note that I’ve preserved the line breaks as requested.

Roland Lord burst into a fit of laughter.

“You’re really simple-minded. What do you want me to do for your wish?”

“For that, I’ll have to graduate safely and get a suitable position, which is crucial, don’t you think?”

“Ah, I see what you mean. You want me to guarantee your convenience in the Magic Department and your choice of post-graduation position?”

“Yes, that’s correct… Can you make it happen?”

“Of course! I’ll take responsibility and make your wish come true.”

I thought the Third Prince’s backing would be a letdown, but Lord Roland accepted my request without any hesitation.

Well, I’ve gotten this far. This reward is well-deserved.

“Then I’ll just trust Lord Roland.”

There were many twists and turns, but in the end, I got what I wanted.

#

The second year of the Magic Department began.

At the entrance ceremony, just like before, my mind was filled with hope as I stood in the grand hall of the War Academy.

“Just graduate. The Third Prince will take care of the rest.”

I thought about being sent to a famous resort island or a peaceful forest in a remote area.

In two years, I would be able to live a leisurely life in a safe place, and the world seemed beautiful.

“Is that true? Did Ethan say that?”

“That’s the truth. I was shocked when I saw it this morning.”

“It didn’t seem like that at all. Unexpected.”

The murmurs around me were annoying. It seemed like they were gossiping about me, but I couldn’t guess what they were saying as I lay in bed.

“Those people must have heard the rumors.”

My reputation among my peers wasn’t exactly good, to say the least.

Commoner background. Carrying a sword. And on top of that, Professor Dars’ favoritism…

I had drawn a lot of attention last year, which was why I was standing out among my peers.

“That crazy woman is at it again.”

I turned to see Sera Zephyr glaring at me like she wanted to kill me.

As a noble from the Zephyr family, she formed her own faction and ruled like a queen, and she had been unable to tolerate me from our first meeting.

I knew she was emotionally unstable, so I took her gaze calmly.

Anyway, once I graduated, I wouldn’t have to see her again.

“I should ask to be sent to the farthest place from the Zephyr family’s sphere of influence.”

Just then, a familiar voice called out my name.

“Ethan!”

It was Roem, a good friend who had lent me his entire fortune, five silver coins.

“Ah, Roem. Long time no see.”

“Really amazing! Thanks to you, I got a big stimulus from this morning. When I was only focused on my personal achievements, you did something big for the Empire. I should strive to not be ashamed of myself compared to you.”

I raised an eyebrow at Roem’s nonsensical words, and he grinned mischievously, holding out a paper in his hand.

“Don’t be shy! Your heroic deeds have already been reported, haven’t they?”

「Weekly Empelium」

It was a newspaper published weekly in Hwangdo.

The propaganda-like content, such as “Who achieved great feats in a certain battlefield?” or “Who displayed loyalty in a certain region?”, was all over the place, so I hardly read it.

“What is this…?”

“A newly emerged young hero, Ethan, judges the corrupt aristocrat.”

I couldn’t speak when I saw my name on the front page of the article.

“The scandalous acts of Count Merzel, a renowned aristocrat, have shocked the imperial citizens. He kidnapped children and imprisoned them underground, subjecting them to unspeakable cruelty.”

The incident involving black magic was treated as confidential, and Count Merzel’s actions were reduced to simple scandalous behavior.

“Ethan, a 427th-year student at the Imperial War Academy’s Department of Magic, judged the evil aristocrat. This student, who was always concerned about the empire’s safety and couldn’t sleep at night, was…”

I was disguised as the young hero who solved the case.

“When I arrived at the scene, Ethan had already resolved the situation. He possesses the nobility of a knight and the wisdom of a magician,” said Imperial Inspector Rolland, confirming the birth of a new hero.

In reality, Rolland had played a role of over 90% in resolving the incident, but somehow, he became a witness instead of the main actor.

“Dars, a researcher at the Imperial Magic Tower and Ethan’s instructor at the Imperial War Academy’s Department of Magic, praised him, saying, ‘He is a genius in the magic world who has proven the practicality of divination magic.'”

Why is Professor Dars talking about divination magic here?

It was a situation that made my head spin.

It was clear that Rolland had orchestrated this whole charade, but I couldn’t understand his intentions.

“I just want to graduate safely and get a decent job.”

How did they interpret this simple statement?

I attended the opening ceremony with a complicated heart.

“Well, the second year will be even more…,”

“Loyalty is the greatest power that makes the impossible possible…”

The high-ranking officials at the War Academy gave a tedious speech, as usual.

But this time was different.

“His Imperial Highness, Detrich III, has graciously honored us with his presence.”

The unexpected appearance of the guest sparked a commotion in the auditorium.

“Is the 3rd Prince really here?”

“Why did he suddenly show up?”

“He’s not someone who usually attends social events, is he?”

Some students were excited, thinking this was a big deal.

It was not uncommon for high-ranking nobles to send congratulatory messages, but it was rare for a direct member of the royal family to appear in person.

Moreover, the 3rd Prince rarely appeared in public, unlike his siblings who often showed their faces to increase their popularity.

When a noble with a prestigious bloodline takes on a human form, it’s just like this. The handsome prince with golden hair and blue eyes, a descendant of the imperial family, stood on the stage.

“I support your new year, taking responsibility for the empire’s safety. Although it may be a cliché you’ve heard before, I wish you will fulfill your duties as students, regardless of your background.”

The 3rd Prince spoke with a cold, stern face, his words more like a warning than encouragement.

The students’ reaction was subdued, as if they felt a sting.

“That’s truly wise, Your Highness!”

Only Roem, standing next to me, applauded and cheered enthusiastically.

Don’t do that. You’re just going to draw attention to me.

“Also, I would like to specially commend a student on this occasion. Those who are interested in current events would have already guessed.”

Even I, who wasn’t interested in current events, had a hunch. I tried to deny it.

“Student Ethan, come up and stand before me.”

But I didn’t want the special treatment like this.

“I don’t want to go up.”

The words “I’ll graduate safely” meant “I’ll graduate quietly,” not “I’ll live as a hero and receive everyone’s attention.”

However, how could a mere student disobey the prince’s order?

I walked confidently and faced one of the strongest bloodlines in this world.

The prince spoke in a low voice that only I could hear.

“I’ll give you the reward you want, just like Roland told me.”

What did Roland tell him? I was dying to ask.

“You said you want to create a peaceful empire for the next three generations, right? You want to learn well here and take the most important position on the battlefield.”

Ha, damn it.

How could the words “I want to live peacefully until my old age” be distorted like this?

“Safely” became “outstandingly.”

“Moderately” became “crucially.”

“I’ll give you what you want. You’ve proven yourself to be my person, so you won’t get entangled in internal conflicts. I’ll also make sure your achievements are known far and wide.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“No, it’s I who should be grateful. If a loyal subject like you is willing to risk their life, I can at least provide some power to support you.”

Then, he pinned a medal on my chest and gave me a rare sword that didn’t look like an ordinary item.

“Ethan, I’ll wait for the day you graduate from here. The day you, Roland, and I will drive away the darkness from the empire.”

After numerous misunderstandings, it seemed like the prince saw me as a loyal subject who would die for the empire like Roland.

“Laugh. That way, our friendship won’t be misunderstood by others.”

I took the prince’s outstretched hand and laughed.

I felt like crying.

＜ The Four Heavenly Kings of the Magic Academy (1) ﹥ End