chapter 28
still live (1)
About a week after coming-of-age ceremony.
I walked down Daehak-ro, realizing that the world was so beautiful.
The amount of gold stipend that the royal family gave me last time was far beyond my imagination.
The amount of patriotism that was not there was enough to spring up.
Perhaps the cost of silence for the last incident was included.
I am a fallen nobleman, but Christine and Maria, who were present there, are the heirs and granddaughters of the Great Lord, respectively.
If you pay them an insignificant amount, you will only get ridiculed.
Thanks to this, the amount that I and Sylvia received increased as a bonus.
that evening.
Having opened the gold coin pocket in my room, we were speechless for a long time at the dazzling brilliance.
It was a bit of a pain to open the gold medal I had received in front of other people, so I endured it…
It was a really good job.
If I had opened it on the spot, I would have shown the ugliness of now.
“Lord, Master? What the hell is this…”
“First semester tuition… No, I’ll have enough left even after paying a year’s worth?”
Most importantly, you don’t have to pay it back.
It is different from the scholarships that the White family received.
Shaking my body with overwhelming emotion and patriotism, I immediately looked at Sylvia’s hand and doubted my eyes.
In both hands that politely reached out to me were her purses.
“… what?”
“Because I’m getting a scholarship anyway… The owner writes this down. First, I’ll pay off the debt I owe to the White family.”
“What?”
No matter how vigilant you are with the White family, you can do it like this.
Loyalty doesn’t have this kind of loyalty.
At the same time, I hate myself for not being able to refuse this.
I grabbed it with trembling hands and then completely pardoned her.
If a vassal works hard, he can stab his master with a knife.
“Thanks Sylvia. You can poke me one more time later.”
“Hey, I’m really sorry about that…”
Fully reconcile by sharing a mischievous joke.
Most of the money was quietly saved, but the amount that went out as a bounty for Medusha and Persia was not small.
Medusha, who was walking among us in feathered hats, swung it and threw it.
I expected that I would get tired of it, quickly stretched out my arm, grabbed it, and put it into the subspace.
I bought it with a lot of money… It seems too hot to use in summer.
A necklace made by threading pearls on her top, Persia’s neck.
It resembled the essence of ice, the treasure of winter foxes, and insisted that I really want to buy it.
Fortunately, there is a high level of satisfaction, unlike Medusha.
Now that I’m in public school, I’m thinking about whether to pass the time in the club room.
The Summoner’s Book hanging from his waist spit out a familiar vibration.
The number of contacts has increased a lot more than before, so it is fun to check the caller.
But this time, it was not a win, but a bang.
“Ms. Ersa… You’ve been released from hearing.”
“Ah, I wish you good luck, Louise.”
As he moved his reluctant hand to connect the communication, as expected, an angry voice was heard.
It doesn’t feel good to be taken away because of me and then held captive by the royal family for a week.
“El Cloud. Come to the lab right now.”
“Yes? Today is a weekday…”
Communication stopped before all the frivolous excuses were finished.
In the end, I quickly turned around and headed to the White Jade Hall where Ersa’s laboratory was located.
I don’t have a lot of free time, but if I ignore the call, I can’t take the backseat.
I accidentally brought Sylvia into the lab, but Ersa didn’t say much when she saw her.
Anyway, I barely noticed that he was my vassal.
The see-through professor could teach you how easily humans can die in a variety of ways, but thankfully he didn’t have to.
Instead, he summoned Evil Hand at once and ordered me.
“Come on, take it.”
“I… all of a sudden?”
“Don’t make me say it twice. I’m on the verge of an explosion.”
A side effect of the network summoning technique used in the last case.
I suppressed my reluctance and grabbed the link that was connecting her and Evil Hand.
Oddly enough, I didn’t think I was going to fail now.
I just hesitated for a moment because of the social common sense that people are reluctant to touch other people’s links.
As I expected.
Evil Hand’s link was cut off and forcibly connected to me.
Like last time, control was not completely taken away.
Only then did Ersa relieve her anger and look at Link with a serious face.
“I can’t believe it even when I see it in person. Can the link with the summoned be broken so easily?”
“It’s not like it was completely stolen. It happened at once during Medusha.”
Even as I said that, I suppressed my own magic.
It’s just that I don’t really like it, but it seems like it’s possible to completely take it away as it is.
Ersa shakes her head as if she’s full of energy at my words.
“You’re a summoner, so you know how absurd this is. It doesn’t even require complicated magic tricks or preparation. It’s just that your magical power itself has the property to take over the link. This isn’t a taboo for walking.”
“You didn’t say that in the interrogation room, did you?”
“Of course. If I had revealed this, you would have already been dissected alive? At this point, you’re the count and nothing. Are you thinking of sacrificing for the advancement of summoning skills?”
“Mom…”
Sylvia was furious at the overly candid explanations and mischievous jokes, but Ersa didn’t care.
Eventually, when I released my power, the link with Evil Hand was cut.
After spending a lot of time restoring it, Ersa requests another experiment.
She had been experimenting repeatedly until just before Evil Hand exploded, and she closed her eyes for a moment as if remembering the sensation.
Now that I see it, he’s also a pretty cooperative and patient summoned beast.
After being silent for a considerable amount of time, she immediately buried herself in the depths of the chair.
“I don’t have a clue, but it’s too early to draw a conclusion. If I use it again, I’ll report the results.”
“Uh… Can I use it in front of others?”
“Of course not. The Royal Guard seems to have been cracked down by His Majesty Elena, so you don’t have to worry.
Research on Link’s takeover has ended with hopeful observations.
Gradually, the next lecture was coming to an end, but I didn’t dare rush it.
Still, it seems that the hasty experiment is roughly over.
It is clear that her desire for knowledge and exploration has been satisfied to some extent.
“And since we opened the Spirit Realm last time… I think we will need a bigger Spirit Stone to advance to the next level.”
“Oh, is it?”
I answered in a melancholy voice, recalling the high-level water spirit that was hit by a meteorite and exploded.
The spirit stone I used back then was a very high-quality item…
I wonder if I can get something better than that.
Ersa, who had her neck slightly bent from side to side, said confidently.
“No matter who showed interest in you, I killed an A-rank spirit with one blow. I need a really good spirit stone to summon a being of that size. A high-end item that only comes out in 10 years.”
“Well, even if you call those guys, there’s no guarantee that you’ll sign a contract with me.”
“Of course. But just looking at it, one thesis will be enough, right?”
Did I not calculate that a meteorite that killed a higher-grade water spirit with one blow could fly to me too?
I took a deep breath, deciding not to mention it.
You won’t be able to find something like that easily anyway.
Medusha, who was next to him, added Chuimsae just in time.
“If you say that the place where spirit stones are mined in the kingdom, isn’t it only Collingwood?”
“That’s right. Besides, I’m going to dispose of that kind of stuff at an auction among the great nobles. It’s a product I can’t buy because I don’t have high-grade spirit stones. Is there any way you can intervene?”
“As you know, I’m a fallen nobleman… No matter how I intervene, I don’t have enough money.”
If our family had been thriving, we could have easily participated in such an auction…
it’s hard now
Talking to the head of the White House would help, but I can’t owe him any more.
Of course, that didn’t dampen Ersa Cutter’s ambitions.
She starts to worry with an uneasy expression as if she is trying to find a way somehow.
It seems that illegal routes are also being considered.
“Well… I’ll figure out how to get it, so wait for a while. It’s class time soon? It’s okay to leave for today.”
“Me, Professor Ersa. Thank you so much for helping me last time.”
“Don’t be squeamish. It’s the professor’s duty to protect students… But next time that happens again, call that cat, not me. Okay?”
Ersa smiled softly even though she was sarcastic as if she was shy.
I left the lab with that rare smile on my retina.
When we arrived at the classroom through the increasingly hot summer sun, the guys who arrived first were writing something.
As soon as I took a seat, Elfriede quickly approached me and handed me a piece of paper.
Field Practice Application.
It seems to be investigating which of the four main gates to visit first.
Could it be that this guy became the class president?
but. Originally, it is better to assume such a role by a high-ranking nobleman.
When a person without a say among the nobles becomes the representative, the whole class becomes tired.
“Hey, Count Elcloud…”
“Just call me by name.”
He got tired of being called by his honorific name by Elfriede.
I didn’t want to be embarrassed for nothing, so when I spoke like a sympathetic person, the guy’s face widened in anger.
On the other hand, Sylvia in the seat next to me seemed to know what to say.
Still, I didn’t say anything out loud because I was in front of other people.
“Yeah, yeah. Louise. So where are you going this time?”
“Westwall.”
Elfriede’s face hardened rapidly when she said the pre-determined answer.
Other students seem to have chosen a lot of ice and snow hell to escape the summer heat, but…
If you go there, you will miss this place.
Elfriede, who was showing a sign of nervousness, carefully persuaded me.
“How about the Duke of Beltern? Steno wants to see Medusa…”
“Don’t sell my sister. I’ll only sell it.”
While pricking her ears to her sister’s story, Medusha gave Elfriede a face-to-face.
With a slight frown on her lips, she does not give up and tries again.
“Even if it’s a little hot, Belthern is the best. If you go a little further south, there is a villa on the beach. If you’re just going on vacation…”
“Westwall.”
“It’s not that you’re having a hard time with your mother-in-law… Oh, I’m sorry, I just made a mistake. Anyway, even if the Beltern is a bit far, you can get on the dedicated train.
“Westwall.”
“Or Collingwood is fine! If you go there with me, I’ll show you the Spirit Stone Mine.”
“Westwall.”
The last one was a bit tempting, but there is nothing to worry about and do because we have an advance contract anyway.
Tired of the consistent answer, Elfriede shook her head with a sigh and immediately filled out her application.
“Okay, let’s go next time. We’ll have to go someday anyway… If everyone has written it, bring it here.”
Returning to her usual tone of voice, she nurtured the other students.
Me and Sylvia smiled and submitted their respective applications.